The Lance and the Wounded Heart of Jesus.

Posted onJune 12, 2018|Comments Off on The Lance and the Wounded Heart of Jesus.

1st Point. The Lance the Instrument of Divine Providence.

PRAYER BEFORE MEDITATION.

My God, I firmly believe that Thou art here present. I acknowledge that on account of my many sins I am utterly unworthy to appear before Thy sacred countenance. Yet, confiding in Thy infinite goodness and mercy, I venture to address Thee, to call upon Thy holy name, and meditate upon Thy commandments, in order that I may acquire a better knowledge of Thy holy will, and accomplish it with more fidelity. Wherefore enlighten my understanding that I may perceive what I ought to do or leave undone for the promotion of Thy glory and my own salvation; at the same time excite my will, that I may repent with my whole heart of my past sins, and resolve for the future to do all that Thou requirest of me. Grant me above all to know Jesus, my divine Teacher and Guide, more clearly, that I may love Him more dearly, and consequently labor, struggle and suffer with greater generosity and self-sacrifice in imitation of His example. Holy Mary, Mother of God and my Mother, show Jesus to me now, and let me study thy divine Son to the salvation of my soul. Holy Guardian Angel, keep far from me all distracting thoughts; my patron saint, come to my assistance. Amen.

1st Point. The Lance the Instrument of Divine Providence.

CONSIDERATION.

Our merciful Redeemer, worn out by hours of bitter agony, had at length breathed forth His Soul into the Hands of His Eternal Father. His Blessed Body hung lifeless on the cross, when a soldier, we are told, approached and drove his lance into the Heart of our Divine Lord, “and immediately,” says the Gospel, “there came out blood and water.” (John xix. 34).

APPLICATION.

What was the intention of the Roman soldier in this cruel action? None other than to satisfy his malice. What was our loving Saviour’s intention? It was to open to us for evermore a never-failing source and fountain of all graces, and to show that He had shed the last drop of His most Precious Blood, and that love and generosity could go no further. In this mysterious opening of His Sacred Side, Christ teaches me three important lessons: (1) To be generous with Him as He has been so generous with me. (2) To seek in the wounded Heart of Jesus strength and courage in my weakness, comfort in my sorrows, light in my perplexities, sorrow and forgiveness for my manifold offences. (3) To learn to have unbounded confidence and trust in Divine Providence, which knows so well how to draw good out of evil, sweets from bitters, joy from sorrows, triumph from humiliation. Thoughts like these will strengthen and support me in hours of darkness and affliction.

Affections and Resolutions.

“O Lord, it is good for us to have sometimes troubles and adversities, for they make us enter into our own hearts; they remind us that we are in exile; they teach us not to place our hopes and joys in the empty, fleeting things of earth” (à Kempis).

PRAYER AFTER MEDITATION.

My God, I give Thee heartfelt thanks for all the graces and all the light Thou hast conferred on me during this meditation. Pardon me all the negligence and the distractions of which I have been guilty, and give me strength to carry out the resolutions that I have made. Fortify me, that from henceforth I may diligently practise this virtue . . . avoid this fault . . . perform this action . . . to Thy honor. Help me to do this, sweet Virgin Mary; and if I ever forget my good resolutions, I entreat my Angel Guardian to recall them to my memory. Amen.

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June Devotion: The Blessed Sacrament and the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Virtue to practice: Obedience, piety, dutifulness

O Jesu! Creator of the world,
Of all mankind Redeemer blest,
True God of God, in Whom we see
Thy Father’s image clear expressed!

Thee, Saviour, love alone constrained
To make our mortal flesh Thine own,
And, as a second Adam, come
For the first Adam to atone.

That selfsame love which made the sky,
Which made the sea and stars, and earth,
Took pity on our misery,
And broke the bondage of our birth.

O Jesus! in Thy Heart divine
May that same love for ever glow!
Forever mercy to mankind
From that exhaustless fountain flow!

For this the Sacred Heart was pierced,
And both with blood and water ran –
To cleanse us from the stains of guilt,
And be the hope and strength of man.

Jesu, to Thee be glory given,
Who from Thy Heart dost grace outpour,
To Father and to Paraclete
Be endless praise for evermore. Amen.

An indulgence of 5 years. A plenary indulgence on the usual conditions, If this hymn is devoutly recited every day for a month (S.P.Ap., March 12, 1936). (taken from The Raccolta (c)1957)

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